This show has been noted by some Heads (and Bar-Lev) for the Little Red Rooster, Let it Grow and a couple others. There's a decent show in here, but that won't be apparent on the SBD. Check an AUD to see why: Healy has Bobby's guitar turned down for much of the show FOH, and completely off for most of the SBD, which is useless for the first set. The AUDs are more dynamic. But it's one of the few spring '81 shows that matches the December output. The second set is nearly 2½hrs.

First Set. Bobby can be heard a little on the MTX for Alabama, but it's a warm-up. They are ready by Friend of the Devil. Several seconds into an excellent Me & My Uncle Bobby's guitar is shut off, though he fares better on the AUD. Big River is exciting. Althea doesn't perk until the very end, but the Little Red Rooster is very fine - especially on the AUD. Bobby's Slide Practice™ aside, one of the best versions of the early '80s. Tennessee is just a bit too downtempo, or shrugged. Jer goes into the red zone on Let It Grow. It turns amazing, and then rather than end the set he suddenly launches a Deal. Uptempo, it goes straight to verse, thrives, and the set gets a breathless extra punctuation.

Second Set. Feel Like a Stranger is tight and has such a wonderful jam. Franklin's does everything for you; it washes the dishes, takes out the garbage, tucks in the kids [here Bobby was turned down even FOH, and the MTX works best]. Conversely, Sailor>Saint is a little lifeless. He's Gone is trudgy but a nice enough solo eases the passage to The Other One. Like a bonus before Drums, and Brent adds some Jon Lord licks. I didn't catch the quality of The Wheel the first couple times (and not until I checked the MTX). Dig the segue to the tight Wharf; sounds like Jer fishes for Gimme Some Lovin', though it was still a few years away. The SBD is finally attended to and fixed here, but the AUD is of such quality that it doesn't really matter. On the SBD the vox are yanked up too far for Sugar Mag, with the last couple being average '81.

1st Set:  B+
2nd Set: C+
Overall = 3¾ stars

Highlights:
Me & My Uncle - where X factor arrives
Little Red Rooster - one of best of early '80s
Let It Grow - Jer in red zone
Deal - Jer takes advantage of the momentum
Feel Like a Stranger - features wonderful jam
Franklin's Tower - dishes, garbage, tuck the kids

SOURCES: The miller_107437 is the pitch-corrected, remastered SBD. Be forewarned, on the SBDs there's no/faint Bobby guitar on the first set, and most of the second set is mainly vox, Brent and one drummer, so you need an AUD to hear the actual show. The 139774_fob_beyer is best in places and would make a great MTX, but it runs fast and needs -2% pitch correction. The 147855_fob_nak700_wagner is the best AUD overall, and only needs -1% pitch for U.S. Blues. The mtx_seamons_107749 is better on some songs, though a matrix only corrects for some of the mix problems. I found the best results on my composite copy by using the SBD for He's Gone >Space; the 147855 for the first set except Promised Land, plus Saint, Sugar Mag and U.S. Blues; and the MTX for the rest, with it and the AUD heavy on EQ to restore bass. This was the only combo for hearing the whole band.

This show is pure and true, and the sound is fantastic! Happy 39th anniversary!

Hello,

This show is a wonderful gem, one among the MANY before and after... Dead & Co. does NOT = The GD... lets keep that in mind guys. John Mayer is great, as is the band as a whole... I, bc I was 12 when Garcia died, never got to see the gd... However, I have commented before on Mr. Miller's outstanding quality shows posting that one can FEEL the vibe, one can SEE Jerry up on stage, smiling at Brent... The vibe is quite similar at DEad comp., the vibe for ME, and I guess it's all up to opinion..
Last thing, anyone that thinks EVERY show after '81 sucks is a FUCKING Moron, and most certainly sound deaf... Peace

How would I know? This Stranger is like the one Dead and Co. did on 11/5/15, and why does that matter? It doesn't. Anyways this is a killer show, a year or so too sooonfor the 12 year old I was, had to wait fifteen months, Jon mayer wants to sound like jerry, but there are issues with that, such as the fact jerry did things slowly and methodically, like a good ax murderer does. PS no Spinners anymore. Where'd they all go? Maybe they will return soon.

There is a comment below that opines that 1981 was the best post-haitus year after 1977. Acknowledging that '77 is tough to beat, I think there is validity to that argument. Brent is, by this point, wholly integrated and there is a ton of exploration that seems to be borne of comfort and confidence. This was also a period when the band's popularity was relatively stable, and small, intimate venues led to a dialogue with the crowd. And, if we believe the stories, this is before blow blew chemistry.

I've listened to every recorded moment from the beginning to this show, so far. There is most certainly a creative ebb and flow, and this is most definitely a period of flow.

The WRS->Deal set I finale, and the Stranger intro to Set II are a hell of a lot of fun.

The WRS is just a tad too fast for Jerry to keep up (seems like one of the fastest versions ever -- someone else can research that) but he still manages to take the band to some awesome powerful places. Brent and Bobby are right there every time. Love how Jer keeps his tone super clean so you can hear the strings being picked.

Then there's another Deal with another scorching solo, this time with the distortion and sustain kicked up more than just a bit. Jerry launches into the guitar solo like a bat out of hell. Some kind of fireball falls out of the sky at 4:30. You know he had to die! Check out Jerry's grunged out tone at 5:40 or thereabouts. One last laser beam into the pulverized souls of the audience at 6:10. Love how Brent steps up at just the right moment to bring everybody back into focus (one of his specialties).

The Stranger, as others have noted, is just off the charts. This is one of their most consistently weirded out and intense jams in the 80s, particularly the early 80s, and this version is one of the special ones.

Extremely nice & long He's Gone, I love the ending and then into Other One, freakin' awesome. Guess the only questions is, You want me to roll the next one?

I haven't listened to this show in a long time, but I would agree that this is the best Brent year of the pre-coma era. Brent was finally up to speed and Jerry, while starting phase a bit, was still at the top of his game - more so than 82-86 certainly. Plus, 1981 has one of the best shows of this era - 9/12/81. :)

Have you listened to 89-90?

Not every show in those years were outstanding, but many were. I'm not sure when Jerr was or wasn't strung out, and you might be right about that, but to simply dismiss any Grateful Dead after 81' as being worthless is totally your bias, not reality.

This is a great show by the way. May 81' is a great string of shows including Rutgers, Barton Hall, Boston Garden, and this one.

No disagreement that 81' is a strong year, but when you read accounts of the bands history, by the time fall and the Europe tour came around in 81' the band confronted Jerry about his use and it degrading the band's music. So its interesting that this is considered a peak year by tapers/listeners but that Jer was supposedly not doing too hot.

Anyways, great show, Miller Transfer is obviously the best.

1981 was the best year other than 1977 AFTER the hiatus. There are no similarities with subsequent years whereby Jerry was just simply strung out.

The first tours of '81 were a period of strength for the Dead. Jerry just came off what many consider to be his greatest JGB tour, and his playing was on fire during this period.

Brent always stands out during these shows. He is using a "Dynoed" Rhodes piano (see http://www.fenderrhodes.com/history/dyno.php for details), a Moog synth, and B-3 organ, with occasional Clavinet thrown in. There is nothing like a Stranger or Estimated Prophet from this era.

Great show, incredible sound thanks to CM.

That "Stranger" is so cool. This was a great period for that song. Back when there were true dynamics, lots of subtleties and it wasn't stadium Dead. I need to check out more of this tour. There might be something to this '81 craze.

This was my 3rd show ever and first of many at Hampton. From front to end this show crackles with energy. Stranger>Franklin's stands out for me as it seems Jerry did not want to stop Franklin's. A pre-Drums Other One just floors me every time I listen to it, and even Sugar Mag ROCKS!! Oh, and then there's the 1st set.. Thanks Charlie for putting this up. I will keep it along with the Aud version I have.